The Policía Nacional discovered a Whatsapp group dedicated to laying traps for the police and attacking them when they appear.

The social-media group, which had some 100 members, most of whom located in Algeciras, used voice recordings to coordinate ambushes by using hoax calls reporting fake incidents, robberies and accidents, for example. Then with many members of the group in place, they would start attacking the police upon arrival.

Thanks to the investigation into the Whatsapp group, the two administrators were arrested, along with a third person who actually made the hoax calls to 091 (The Policía Nacional’s own emergency number).

The caller reported a fictitious robbery taking place so that when the police arrived they were showered with heavy objects.

The Police also reported the existence of a hoax message on social media that with a forged logo of a Boletín Oficial del Estado (Official National Gazette) stating that the Government had authorised those who wanted to jog or run as a sports activity to go out and do it.

Another cyber fraud that has been reported is a doctored email, claiming to be from the Inspección de Trabajo saying that the person receiving the email are being investigated for breaking the Lock-Down legislation. Those that click on the link unwittingly download a computer virus that will harvest all of their passwords, etc.

Editorial comment: Algeciras is a hotbed of drug smuggling and perhaps tying down the police in this manner could be a tactic for making landing drugs from North Africa easier. Lock ’em up and throw away the key!

(News: Algeciras, Andalucia)